Scottish Executive

Air Accident

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to have a representative in attendance at the meetings of the House of Lords committee inquiry into the Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre and, if not, how it plans to monitor the progress of the inquiry.

Colin Boyd QC: There are no plans to have a representative of the Scottish Executive attend the sessions of the House of Lords Committee. The findings of the committee will be considered by the Crown Office, with a view to determining whether any further action need be taken by the Procurator Fiscal in connection with the investigation into the deaths.

Air Services

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government in connection with the imposition of a public services obligation in respect of air routes between Inverness and (a) Gatwick and (b) Heathrow.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government about a wide range of matters, including the issue of access into the main hub airports for regional air services. The Executive is working with Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise on how best the Inverness-Gatwick route can be safeguarded.

Air Services

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent meetings it has had with Her Majesty’s Government regarding flights between London hub airports and Inverness and which Scottish and UK ministers attended any such meetings.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish ministers, and officials meet with their counterparts in the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions on a regular basis about a wide range of matters, including the issue of access into main hub airports for regional air services.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been made for the education of any school-age children to be accommodated at Dungavel Detention Centre.

Mr Jack McConnell: The operation of Dungavel Detention Centre is the responsibility of the Home Office. I understand Premier Detention Services, who have been contracted by the Home Office to run the centre, have been in discussions with South Lanarkshire Council about the most appropriate way to provide education services for any school aged children at the centre. Officials of the Executive are liasing with the Home Office and South Lanarkshire Council regarding education provision in the centre.

Best Value

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities its departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies have to deliver Best Value, how this objective is achieved and whether any criteria applied and targets set are the equivalent of those for local authorities.

Angus MacKay: The Principal Accountable Officer for the Scottish Administration has a statutory duty of: "ensuring that the resources of the Scottish Administration are used economically, efficiently and effectively". The Principal Accountable Officer appoints Accountable Officers, in both departments and other bodies, setting their designated duties. This includes ensuring value for money considerations are taken into account. We are currently considering how a duty of Best Value can be extended to cover all departments and agencies.

  A Ministerial Working Group on Best Value and Budget Review has been established to take forward Best Value across the Executive’s expenditure. The remit of this group is to ensure the better use of public expenditure and more efficient delivery of services. The first series of reviews is underway. The group will report to the Cabinet.

Bridges

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether permission to use salt for the purpose of clearing ice on the Kincardine Bridge has been sought by or given to AMEY Highways Ltd since they became responsible for the maintenance of the bridge.

Sarah Boyack: In winter certain major bridges are sprayed with the anti-icing chemical ethylene glycol rather than salt. During a short period pending the release of spraying equipment by the former maintenance organisation, AMEY Highways Ltd requested and were given permission to use de-icing salt on the bridge on a temporary basis for safety reasons in the event of adverse weather.

  The necessary equipment is now ready for winter maintenance of the bridge using ethylene glycol as a de-icing period.

Central Heating

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S1W-16226 by Jackie Baillie on 2 July 2001, when it will announce who will be the managing agents of its central heating installation programme and why the announcement has been delayed.

Jackie Baillie: Eaga Partnership Ltd were appointed to administer the central heating programme on 29 August 2001. The appointment was made as soon as possible following a careful and thorough evaluation of the tenders received.

Central Heating

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not met its target for the commencement of its central heating installation programme of 1 April 2001.

Jackie Baillie: The programme did begin as planned and we are paying grant for all heating systems installed in local authority dwellings since 1 April 2001. We will ensure that our commitment to provide every council and housing association tenant and everyone aged 60 or over in the private sector with a central heating system is met. We are also considering how the programme might be extended.

Children with Disabilities

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to local authorities about the extent to which parents of a disabled child may choose the mainstream school that they wish their child to attend.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has not issued any specific guidance on the extent to which parents of a disabled child may choose the mainstream school that they wish their child to attend. Parents of any child are entitled to make a placing request to their education authority as regards the school to be attended by their child. Placing requests for disabled children, in common with all other children, have to be considered under the framework in the Education Act 1980 (as amended), and education authorities can turn down those requests only for reasons set out in the legislation.

  However, section 15 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 includes a requirement for education authorities to provide for all children in mainstream schools, except in certain specified circumstances. The Scottish Executive is currently preparing guidance for local authorities on this presumption in favour of mainstreaming.

Children with Disabilities

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact that the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has had or will have in relation to parents’ ability to choose which mainstream school they wish their disabled child to attend.

Nicol Stephen: The application of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to education does not take effect until September 2002. The Act will increase the availability of educational opportunities and the choices for parents of school age children.

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences involving the possession or use of knives there were in the City of Edinburgh in each year since 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information concerning crimes involving the possession of a knife is given in the following table:

  Crimes of possession of an offensive weapon recorded by the police in the City of Edinburgh.

  


Crime 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  



Possession of an offensive weapon1


190 
  

213 
  

283 
  

408 
  



Having in a public place an article with a blade or point2


142 
  

142 
  

158 
  

161 
  



Total 
  

332 
  

355 
  

441 
  

569 
  



  Notes:

  1. Crimes of possession of penknives or other short bladed articles are normally recorded under this category but possession of offensive weapons other than knives will also be included.

  2. This crime category may include possession of articles that are not knives but have blades or sharp points but will not normally include possession of penknives or other short bladed articles.

  Crimes where a knife is used to threaten or injure will be recorded only under the relevant crime e.g. serious assault, robbery etc and are not separately distinguished in the available statistics. The only exception is crimes of homicide, where the available information is given in the following table:

  Homicide victims1 in the City of Edinburgh, where the main method of killing is by a sharp instrument.

  


1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  



2 
  

6 
  

4 
  



  Notes:

  1. Currently (as at November 2000) recorded as homicide victims.

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to restrict the manufacture, supply and ownership of imitation weapons.

Mr Jim Wallace: Legislation on firearms is a reserved matter. The Government receives advice on firearms issues, including issues relating to replica and imitation firearms, which are defined in section 57(4) of the Firearms Act 1968, from the Firearms Consultative Committee. The committee is an independent body established by an Act of the UK Parliament to keep under review the workings of the Firearms Acts. Its 11th annual report is due to be submitted to the Home Secretary later this year.

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences involving the (a) use, (b) presentation or (c) possession of imitation firearms there were in the City of Edinburgh in each year since 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the table:

  Crimes and offences recorded by the police in the City of Edinburgh in which an imitation firearm was alleged to have been used

  


Crime/offence 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  



Robbery 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Firearms Act 1968 offences1


- 
  

- 
  

1 
  



Petty Assault 
  

2 
  

1 
  

- 
  



Total 
  

3 
  

1 
  

1 
  



  Notes:

  1. For example, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, commit a crime etc. and other miscellaneous firearms offences.

Diabetes

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in bringing forward a Scottish Diabetes Framework.

Susan Deacon: Good progress is being made towards fulfilling the commitment in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change to launch a Scottish Diabetes Framework in 2001. A consultation paper was issued in July by the Scottish Diabetes Framework Working Group and two open meetings were held in Polmont (31 August) and Glasgow (7 September). These meetings were attended by about 350 people including a significant number of patients.

Digital Technology

Mr Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to close the "digital divide".

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive is launching today a strategy designed to achieve universal access to the internet and help close the digital divide in Scotland. The promotion of a digitally inclusive Scotland is a key element in our drive to create a socially just society.

  The strategy encompasses a range of measures including publishing details of over 700 existing facilities in Scotland where the public can gain access to the internet and a scheme to create over 1,000 extra access points to the internet, delivering comprehensive access across Scotland. We are also launching a search for two Digital Communities. The objective is to demonstrate how the internet can increase peoples’ opportunities and improve quality of life, but at the same time to inform our further efforts to close the digital divide. This initiative will ensure that 2,000 households in two disadvantaged communities have access to the internet and are able to gain the skills to use it.

  The actions listed in the strategy will complement existing programmes, such as the Individual Learning Account scheme which offers individuals discounts of up to 80 per cent on the cost of basic IT courses.

  Copies of the digital inclusion strategy are available on the Scottish Executive website (www.scotland.gov.uk/digitalscotland). Copies have also been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Education

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many home economics teachers have been employed in schools in each year from 1994-95 to 2000-01.

Mr Jack McConnell: Information on the number of Home Economics teachers employed in each year is not available.

  The periodic Teacher Census estimates that in 1994-95 there were 1,251 (FTE) teachers in publicly funded secondary schools who recorded Home Economics as their main subject qualification. In 1998-99, there were an estimated 1,276 (FTE) teachers in publicly funded secondary schools who recorded Home Economics as their main subject qualification.

  This information was not collected in other years.

  As part of the Teacher Workforce Planning exercise the Scottish Executive have taken steps to improve the quality of data collected from local authorities this year. It is believed this will provide more accurate information on a range of areas, including subject coverage, on an annual basis.

Education

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools employed home economics teachers in each year from 1994-95 to 2000-01.

Mr Jack McConnell: This information is not held centrally.

Emergency Services

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since 1999 local authorities and emergency services have carried out nuclear emergency drills in co-operation with UK agencies and where any such drills were carried out.

Iain Gray: The following is a list of nuclear exercises since 1999 in which the emergency services, local authorities and other UK agencies have participated.

  


Date 
  

Exercise Location 
  

Civil/Military 
  



1999 
  



2 June 
  

Faslane 
  

Military 
  



1 September 
  

Campbeltown/Faslane 
  

Military 
  



2 October 
  

Vulcan, Dounreay/Inverness 
  

Military 
  



20 October 
  

Hunterston B/East Kilbride 
  

Civilian 
  



26 October 
  

Rosyth/Glenrothes 
  

Military/Civilian 
  



9 December 
  

Chapelcross/Dumfries 
  

Civilian 
  



2000 
  



4 May 
  

Faslane 
  

Military 
  



10 May 
  

Dounreay/Inverness 
  

Civilian 
  



13 June 
  

Vulcan, Dounreay/Inverness 
  

Military 
  



14 June 
  

Scottish Police College, Tulliallan 
  

Civilian 
  



6 September 
  

Faslane 
  

Military 
  



18 September 
  

Torness (Communications only) 
  

Civilian 
  



26 September 
  

Rosyth/Glenrothes 
  

Military/Civilian 
  



9 November 
  

Torness/Cockenzie 
  

Civilian 
  



2001 
  



31 May 
  

Vulcan, Dounreay/Inverness 
  

Military 
  



14 June 
  

Rothesay/Faslane 
  

Military 
  



20 June 
  

Hunterston/Irvine 
  

Civilian 
  



27 June 
  

Coulport/Faslane 
  

Military 
  



6 September 
  

Faslane 
  

Military 
  



10 October 
  

Rosyth/Glenrothes 
  

Military/Civilian 
  



  Note: Where two locations are shown, the first is the postulated locus of the incident and the second is the location of the established/nearest off-site centre (OSC) from where the incident is managed.

Enterprise

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for the development of the retail sector.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive recognises the importance the retail sector makes to the economy. We are committed to maintaining an efficient, competitive and innovative retail sector within a planning framework that supports the vitality and viability of town centres. This is reflected in our National Planning Policy Guidelines 8 -Town Centres and Retailing .

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or the enterprise network support the proposals for the Fort William waterfront development, what financial assistance the enterprise network will provide to this scheme and whether the network will support and match fund any application for EU funding.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Lochaber Enterprise has previously supported, and is willing to consider further, any request for financial assistance towards proposals for the development of Fort William Waterfront. The nature of financial commitments by any of the partners has yet to be agreed.

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to Her Majesty’s Government’s consultation on the European Commission’s Environmental Action Programme , Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice .

Ross Finnie: The Executive responded to Her Majesty’s Government on the European Commission’s 6th Environmental Action Programme, and in common with normal practice, it respects the confidentiality of the information exchanged.

  On 5 June 2001, my officials provided the clerk to the Transport and Environment Committee with a copy of all the responses on the Scottish Executive’s consultation on the 6th Environmental Action Programme.

Food Standards

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce more stringent enforcement of the Specified Risk Materials Regulations 1997 in relation to imported beef carcases.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Food Standards Agency has advised that European Law requires specified risk material (SRM) to be removed at the slaughterhouse, and it is illegal for another EU Member State to send consignments of meat to the UK, which contain spinal cord. The Specified Risk Material Regulations, as amended, are enforced by the Meat Hygiene Service in licensed plants and local authorities in unlicensed premises. The agency has addressed SRM infringements through enhanced checks on imported beef and by raising the issue at high level with the Commission and the member state in question. The agency’s policy is to seek for the plant’s licence to be suspended in cases of systematic failures.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been prescribed benzodiazepines for (a) more than one year, (b) more than two years, (c) more than five years and (d) more than 10 years.

Susan Deacon: This information is not available centrally.

Health

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of treatment of Gulf War veterans was to the NHS in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) to date in 2001-02.

Susan Deacon: This information is not available centrally.

Health

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics are held within the NHS on the incidence of leukaemia amongst patients who served in the Gulf War.

Malcolm Chisholm: No statistics are held within the NHS on the incidence of leukaemia amongst patients who served in the Gulf War.

Homelessness

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government on the number of ex-service personnel who are rough sleepers and what the outcome of any such representations was.

Jackie Baillie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17163 on 17 August 2001.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-16907 and S1W-16908 by Jackie Baillie on 9 August 2001, whether it will supply the information given broken down by local authority area.

Jackie Baillie: Further to my answers given on 9 August on grants paid under section 54 of the Housing Act 1988 which relate to accounting periods ending in 1999-2000, the following table shows this information broken down by local authority area.

  


Local authority area 
  

No. of awards 
  

Value of awards (£) 
  



Western Isles 
  

5 
  

13,896.70 
  



Caithness 
  

1 
  

34,867.80 
  



Shetland 
  

1 
  

19,461.40 
  



Dundee 
  

1 
  

154,213.02 
  



Lochaber 
  

1 
  

21,927.80 
  



Skye & Lochalsh 
  

1 
  

40,492.60 
  



Orkney 
  

1 
  

44,887.20 
  



Fife 
  

1 
  

15,314.20 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

6 
  

469,726.53 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

1 
  

37,325.80 
  



Inverclyde 
  

3 
  

80,745.70 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

4 
  

203,056.97 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

3 
  

114,779.40 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

2 
  

41,893.40 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

1 
  

172,166.65 
  



Edinburgh 
  

4 
  

382,102.34 
  



Stirling 
  

1 
  

23,049.40 
  



Midlothian 
  

1 
  

52,098.60 
  



Clackmannan 
  

1 
  

98,132.57 
  



Glasgow 
  

33 
  

1,591,884.79 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

7 
  

396,295.80 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

2 
  

36,585.40 
  



National housing associations (across LA boundaries) 
  

2 
  

148,923.95 
  



Total 
  

83 
  

4,193,828.02

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was used to pay off local authority housing debt as a result of housing capital set-aside rules in each year since 1996-97, broken down by local authority.

Jackie Baillie: The amount of housing capital receipts set aside by local authorities to redeem housing debt since 1996-97 is shown in the following table.

  Amount of capital receipts used by councils to repay HRA debt (£ million).

  


 


1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  

Total 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

2.628 
  

10.503 
  

10.523 
  

10.565 
  

9.104 
  

43.323 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

1.847 
  

6.734 
  

4.259 
  

5.254 
  

6.577 
  

24.671 
  



Angus 
  

1.147 
  

3.792 
  

2.585 
  

2.839 
  

3.251 
  

13.614 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

0.886 
  

2.078 
  

1.797 
  

1.907 
  

1.661 
  

8.329 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

0.713 
  

1.528 
  

1.483 
  

1.468 
  

1.389 
  

6.581 
  



Comhairle 
  

0.132 
  

0.425 
  

0.540 
  

0.354 
  

0.396 
  

1.847 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

1.915 
  

5.091 
  

3.282 
  

4.139 
  

4.231 
  

18.658 
  



Dundee City 
  

1.035 
  

3.476 
  

3.212 
  

2.616 
  

2.860 
  

13.199 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

1.775 
  

4.924 
  

4.151 
  

5.124 
  

5.276 
  

21.250 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

0.636 
  

1.853 
  

2.457 
  

2.639 
  

2.327 
  

9.912 
  



East Lothian 
  

0.926 
  

3.778 
  

2.169 
  

3.568 
  

5.649 
  

16.090 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

0.426 
  

1.227 
  

1.116 
  

1.179 
  

1.538 
  

5.486 
  



City of Edinburgh 
  

8.713 
  

8.713 
  

8.460 
  

7.969 
  

8.481 
  

42.336 
  



Falkirk 
  

1.818 
  

6.504 
  

5.133 
  

5.080 
  

6.444 
  

24.979 
  



Fife 
  

3.093 
  

10.020 
  

8.593 
  

10.103 
  

8.874 
  

40.683 
  



Glasgow City 
  

5.330 
  

18.848 
  

15.913 
  

18.149 
  

19.507 
  

77.747 
  



Highland 
  

2.635 
  

8.678 
  

7.407 
  

9.046 
  

8.173 
  

35.939 
  



Inverclyde 
  

1.009 
  

4.496 
  

3.194 
  

3.378 
  

3.564 
  

15.641 
  



Midlothian 
  

0.804 
  

2.892 
  

2.445 
  

3.194 
  

3.079 
  

12.414 
  



Moray 
  

1.064 
  

2.816 
  

1.884 
  

2.435 
  

1.892 
  

10.091 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

1.063 
  

3.928 
  

3.331 
  

4.671 
  

4.195 
  

17.188 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

5.081 
  

15.258 
  

14.217 
  

15.556 
  

16.728 
  

66.84 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

0.192 
  

0.568 
  

0.548 
  

0.830 
  

0.337 
  

2.475 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

1.070 
  

3.381 
  

2.525 
  

3.263 
  

2.365 
  

12.604 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

1.339 
  

5.628 
  

5.239 
  

4.814 
  

5.132 
  

22.152 
  



Scottish BORDERs 
  

0.774 
  

3.854 
  

2.965 
  

2.545 
  

3.582 
  

13.720 
  



Shetland 
  

0.269 
  

1.080 
  

0.735 
  

1.670 
  

1.352 
  

5.106 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

1.226 
  

3.840 
  

3.442 
  

3.319 
  

2.474 
  

14.301 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

4.151 
  

13.573 
  

14.093 
  

13.387 
  

12.142 
  

57.346 
  



Stirling 
  

1.020 
  

2.888 
  

2.611 
  

2.840 
  

3.026 
  

12.385 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

0.626 
  

2.528 
  

2.750 
  

1.068 
  

2.099 
  

9.071 
  



West Lothian 
  

0.241 
  

7.051 
  

5.322 
  

6.050 
  

5.023 
  

23.687 
  



Total 
  

55.584 
  

171.953 
  

148.381 
  

161.019 
  

162.728 
  

699.665 
  



  Source: As reported by authorities on the Housing Revenue Account Certificate of Capital Payments and Receipts.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action its housing improvement task force is taking to improve the rights of tenants in the private rented sector.

Jackie Baillie: The housing improvement task force has a wide-ranging remit to look at issues of quality and condition in private sector housing. It has established a number of sub-groups including one which is considering matters relating to house conditions in the privately rented sector.

  Further details of the remit of the task force together with copies of all the papers submitted to the task force and its sub-groups can be found on the Scottish Executive website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/hitf).

Legislation

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reform the law on psychiatric injury.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish ministers made a reference to the Scottish Law Commission on 4 July in the following terms:

  "To examine the law of Scotland relating to psychiatric injury caused by another person and to make recommendations as to possible changes in the law."

  This reference has now been accepted by the Commission. The Executive will consider any recommendations, and any resulting legislation would be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are currently devoted to the diagnosis, treatment and community care of schizophrenic patients.

Susan Deacon: We do not collect information about the costs of treating specific conditions in mental health services.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether information held on prisoners includes details of their previous and existing employment.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Not routinely on admission but for long-term prisoners this information is usually collected through our Sentence Management assessment.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the current prison population is ex-service personnel.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service does not hold such information.

Public Sector

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to relocate any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies either in whole or in part to Inverness.

Angus MacKay: Following consideration of the appropriate operational locations for the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, and in the context of the Executive’s relocation policy, it is planned to locate a regional office of the new body in the Inverness area.

Public Sector

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any guidelines it provides to companies which are contractually involved in the public sector to ensure they have established and independently assessed minimum standards of ethical practice.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive does not provide specific guidelines on ethical practice to companies which have contractual relationships with the public sector. Scottish Executive contract terms and conditions require that suppliers adhere to national law and regulations and specify that the offer of corrupt gifts or payments to officials is a criminal offence under the Prevention of Corruption Acts.

Public Sector

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a code of conduct outlining minimum standards of ethical practice to which all companies directly and indirectly contractually involved with public sector projects must conform and what issues any such code would cover.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has no plans to introduce a code of conduct outlining minimum standards of ethical practice to companies involved with the public sector.

Residential Care

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who have been assessed as needing residential care are currently on the waiting list for such care in each health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available centrally.

  However, some information is available for people waiting to be released from hospital into residential care. This was published in Patients ready for discharge in NHSScotland by ISD Scotland on 29 June 2001 and is available on:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/scottish_health_statistics/subject/ready_for_discharge/april01.pdf

Residential Care

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is in each health board area for an elderly person to receive a residential care place once they have been assessed as requiring such a place.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Residential Care

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each local authority area have been assessed as having the level of needs which requires the provision of intense and constant care in a residential setting.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. It is a matter for each local authority to determine in light of local circumstances.

Residential Care

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the cost of meeting the identified care needs of all people assessed as having the level of needs which requires the provision of intense and constant care in a residential setting in each local authority area.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it allocated to each local authority in the current financial year for the care of people requiring intense and constant care in a residential setting.

Malcolm Chisholm: This year we have allocated over £900 million to local authorities for community care. The actual expenditure on community care and each aspect of community care is for each local authority to determine in light of local circumstances. The allocations to each authority are set out in pages 7-13 of Grant Aided Expenditure 2001-02 , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 12261)

Residential Care

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make additional funding available to local authorities for the provision of intense and constant care in a residential setting and, if so, what criteria will be used to determine the amount of funding to be allocated to each local authority.

Malcolm Chisholm: The allocation to local authorities for community care this year, at £918 million, is £89 million above that for 2000-01. In addition, we are providing an additional £7.5 million to assist with residential and nursing home fees. The criteria for allocation to individual authorities are set out in Grant Aided Expenditure 2001-02 , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 12261).

Roads

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is being provided to bring any areas of Scotland’s road network which have a level of skidding resistance lower than the investigatory level set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges up to this standard.

Sarah Boyack: During 2000-01, £3.78 million was spent on applying skidding resistance treatments to the trunk road network. It is important to note that the fact that a section of road is below the investigatory level does not necessarily mean it is unsafe or requires immediate treatment.

  Local roads are the responsibility of local authorities.

Roads

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce "adopt-a-road" type schemes involving voluntary organisations to combat problems with litter.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has no plans to introduce such schemes in Scotland.

  It is for roads authorities to decide how roadside cleaning should be carried out, taking into account a number of factors such as traffic management and the health and safety of those carrying out the work. The overriding imperative is to ensure that when roadside cleaning, verge maintenance, etc, is carried out neither road users nor those undertaking the activity are placed at any risk or danger. For that reason the Executive does not believe the "adopt-a-road" model is suitable for Scotland.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many default notices have been served on AMEY Highways Ltd in respect of the contract for the maintenance of south west unit trunk roads.

Sarah Boyack: Six default notices have been issued to AMEY Highways Ltd, the Operating Company for the South West Trunk Road Unit.

School Curriculum

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what minimum weekly level of structured physical exercise (a) primary and (b) secondary schools are expected to provide for pupils; how it encourages schools to provide this level of exercise, and how the level of exercise in each school is monitored.

Mr Jack McConnell: Guidance on the curriculum recommends one hour’s physical exercise per week for all pupils up to the age of 16. The Scottish Executive has encouraged schools to promote physical exercise in recent years through a range of  sportscotland initiatives which include: the TOPS programmes (resources for schools and training for teachers), the Active Primary Schools programme (being piloted in a number of education authorities) and the School Sport Co-ordinator programme (currently in over half of secondaries).

  Schools and local authorities also have to implement the national priorities for education, which were approved by the Scottish Parliament. These priorities stress the need to teach pupils respect for self and to equip them with the attitudes necessary to prosper in a changing society. Physical exercise and education can play a central part in making these priorities a reality.

  Local authorities are expected to have plans on the implementation of the national priorities in place by December 2001. Schools must do so by June 2002.

School Meals

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the nutritional standards that school meals should meet; who sets these standards, and who monitors the standards achieved in this respect in each school.

Mr Jack McConnell: Model Nutritional Guidelines for Catering Specifications were provided to local authorities together with Eating for Health: a diet action plan for Scotland , published by the Scottish Office in 1996. The implementation and subsequent monitoring of any arrangements put in place as a result of these guidelines is a matter for local authorities. However, we are currently considering what else needs to be done to ensure improved uptake and better quality.

School Meals

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations involved in the provision of school meals require staff employed in this area to have nutritional health qualifications and what qualifications are required in each case.

Mr Jack McConnell: The information requested is not held centrally. The organisation of, and contracting for, the school meals service is a matter for local authorities. The Model Nutritional Guidelines for Catering Specifications for the Public Sector in Scotland issued in 1996, as part of the Scottish Diet Action Plan, contain a number of general principles concerning the qualifications of staff. Amongst these is the suggestion that dieticians should be part of the formal advisory structure, in both the preparation and monitoring of specifications; that menus should be analysed by a dietician or nutritionist; and that training of all levels of staff should be delivered by suitably qualified staff, such as dieticians.

Scottish Executive Staff

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations any staff who have been on secondment during the period July 2001 to September 2001, and whose salary costs it has met, have been on secondment to.

Angus MacKay: The organisations of the staff on secondment during the period July 2001 to September 2001 whose salary costs are being met by the Scottish Executive are as follows:

  European Commission

  Glasgow Employer Coalition

  Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland

  Prince’s Trust Volunteers Scotland

  Royal Society of Edinburgh

  Scottish Business in the Community

  Scottish Chambers of Commerce

  Scottish Civic Forum

  Scottish Council Development and Industry

  Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

  Scottish Financial Enterprise

  Scottish Power

  Western Isles Council

  Young Scot.

  The Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Council Development and Industry and Scottish Financial Enterprise all pay a contribution towards the salary costs of the secondment.

Sexual Offences

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many rape and sexual assault cases there were in each of the past five years and in how many of those cases the accused represented themselves in court.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the following table. Data for the year 2000 is not yet available. Information on the number of instances where the accused represented themselves in court is not readily available, though these are believed to be relatively few in number.

  


Persons called to court in Scotland where the main crime 
  was rape or sexual assault 1995-99. 
  



Main Crime 
  

Year 
  



1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  



Rape 
  

43 
  

70 
  

65 
  

64 
  

56 
  



Sexual assault1


136 
  

122 
  

147 
  

142 
  

128 
  



Total 
  

179 
  

192 
  

212 
  

206 
  

184 
  



  Notes:

  1. Includes assault with intent to rape and indecent assault.

Special Educational Needs

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16872 by Nicol Stephen on 22 August 2001, what advice it gives to local authorities with regard to budgeting for fees for schools for those with special educational needs.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive does not provide such budgeting advice to local authorities.

Student Loans

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government in support of changing the threshold at which graduates start repaying their student loans and when it will make an announcement on the outcome of any negotiations with Her Majesty’s Government on this matter.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including the repayment threshold for student loans.

Vaccines

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether information is supplied to parents about GPs offering single vaccines and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: Protection against measles, mumps and rubella in the UK is recommended through the combined MMR vaccine. This policy is based on independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the Committee on Safety of Medicines, and was set out in letters from the Chief Professional Officers in the Scottish Executive Health Department to GPs and other health professionals on 22 December 2000 and 12 March 2001. Single vaccines leave children at risk of disease while they wait, unprotected between vaccines, for no additional benefit. They also expose children to an increased risk of local reactions at the injection site. An MMR discussion pack, leaflet and poster are being issued to health professionals in September. These materials will help inform discussion between GPs and parents on MMR and single vaccine issues.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Progress Group

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer when a report will be published on the current visit by representatives of the Holyrood Progress Group to Barcelona and whether that report will enable more specific cost projections and a firm date for completion of the Parliament complex to be given.

Sir David Steel: I understand that the delegation attending the meetings in Barcelona will report on their visit in the next edition of the Holyrood Progress Group’s regular newsletter. These newsletters routinely include a section on both cost and programme.